Dive Brief:
- CeraVe has partnered with NBA star Kevin Durant on a multiphased campaign that emphasizes that its moisturizing products are about more than just facial hydration, according to a press release.
- Durant, who’s been the subject of ribbing for ashy legs, recently took to social media to address mean social posts in a tease for the larger “Moisturize Like a Derm” effort. Paparazzi-style photos then captured the Houston Rockets forward using CeraVe at the gym, setting the next stage of the narrative.
- CeraVe on Feb. 10 appointed Durant its “Face of Legs,” a post the marketer is raising awareness for by deploying dermatologists and skin care influencers. “Moisturize Like a Derm” is running on social and digital channels and through out-of-home ads.
Dive Insight:
CeraVe is trying to expand the skin care discussion beyond the face with a global campaign starring Durant. The social-first effort keys into a cultural insight — viral posts mocking Durant for his dry ankles — and leverages what could be a vulnerable topic to instead show the athlete transforming his routine to focus on full-body moisturization in an a bid to destigmatize what CeraVe calls “skincidents.”
Beyond nodding to Durant’s history, “Moisturize Like a Derm” builds off the finding that 87% of dermatologists view body care as being as important as facial care when it comes to skin hydration, according to questionnaires run by CeraVe. The campaign further shores up an association with the NBA after the L'Oréal brand was named the league’s official skin care and hair care partner in October. OBB Media is behind CeraVe’s “Moisturize Like a Derm” campaign while Ogilvy led PR.
“Moisturize Like a Derm” employs similar tactics to past CeraVe campaigns that have vied for virality, with an ambassador teasing the partnership through multiple phases, including candid-style paparazzi shoots, before a full campaign reveal.
Durant in late January took to X with a video modeled off of the Mean Tweets segment from “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” wherein the Rockets forward reads off and responds to snarky posts about his looks. He also recently appeared on the “Unguarded” podcast to discuss his personal hygiene.
The NBA star was then photographed applying CeraVe Moisturizing Cream at the gym to demonstrate how he’s changed his ways. A video released Tuesday debuts Durant as CeraVe’s “Face of Legs” and shows the athlete applying moisturizer to comically elongated legs as jazzy music plays.
CeraVe made a splash in 2024 with a Super Bowl debut that generated chatter through similar deployments of actor Michael Cera. The brand also previously collaborated with pro basketball players Anthony Davis and Paige Bueckers on a “Head of CeraVe” campaign promoting its anti-dandruff hair products.
Correction: A prior version of this story misstated the agency credits on CeraVe’s campaign. OBB Media is behind “Moisturize Like a Derm.”
